In a so-called camera phone, the camera may be a fixed part of the mobile device, or it may be an auxiliary accessory. These cameras are typically small-sized digital cameras. When the size of the cameras is reduced, they can be more easily integrated in smaller and smaller devices, and the cameras are available for the use of more and more users. As the quality of the cameras is improved, their fields and targets of usage become more versatile. Already at present, the camera features of a mobile device can be used professionally when producing and transmitting picture information: for instance when counting or identifying birds, pictures taken of the species in question offer a help. On the other hand, an explanatory picture of a device can be sent for instance from a factory to a dealer. An advantage in comparison with a regular camera is the small size of the device, as well as the fact that there is needed only one device, i.e. the mobile device, by means of which there can be performed both the photography, the transmission of the image and other communication connected to the situation. This makes the photography and the transmission of pictures more rapid—and in many cases it is the prerequisite for said processes—because separate devices and conversion programs are not needed.
When a picture should be taken by the camera of a mobile device, the camera function must first be started. When the mobile device is in normal mode, so that the keys are in use and the rest of the applications are turned off, the camera function can be started. Generally the camera function is started so that in the mobile device menu, there is searched the camera function, said function is selected and accepted to be activated. When the camera function is started, it is ready to be used, and the user can capture desired targets in digital picture files that are recorded in the memory unit of the mobile device. The memory unit may contain a certain area, a so-called picture archive sector, where the picture files made of the pictures taken by the mobile device camera are recorded. The mobile device may also include a separate memory unit for picture files storing digital pictures.
According to the prior art, a mobile device camera can be used for many types of photography. A small-size and light-weight camera is very useful in special conditions, where separate devices need not be provided in addition to the mobile device camera. In particular, a mobile device camera is useful if the pictures should be immediately sent to another device, because the pictures can also be transmitted by the same device, and they need not be transferred nor converted. A drawback in a mobile device camera application is that the camera functions are slow when they are being started and taken into use. The searching, selecting and activating of the camera application takes so much time that rapidly changing or passing situations cannot be captured, unless the camera application already is switched on, and the camera is in a standby mode. In addition, the time required for switching the camera application on depends on the current mode of the mobile device.
For instance when watching birds and writing statistics of the species, it is important to recognize the various species. The recognition can easily be ensured by saving the picture of the detected species, and by later comparing the picture with one found in a bird book or by sending the picture to a specialist. From a description based on human memory alone, the recognition of the species later on is remarkably more unreliable. In order to obtain a picture of a given bird species, other species or an otherwise moving target requires rapid shooting, which is not possible with the devices of the prior art.